WSJ has pre-release iPad kept 'under padlock and key' by Apple

Apple's legendary secrecy around the iPad continues even though the company formally introduced the hardware over a month ago, as media mogul Rupert Murdoch revealed The Wall Street Journal, in developing an iPad edition, has a pre-release model that is checked in on nightly by the Cupertino, Calif., company.

Murdoch confirmed during a speech in New York on Tuesday that his News Corp. publication will be offered on Apple's forthcoming iPad. According to a report in the Journal, the executive also gave insight into Apple's secretive practices as the paper has had access to a pre-release iPad.

"In fact, we've been allowed to work on one, and it's under padlock and key. The key is turned by Apple every night," Murdoch was quoted as saying. "But we will be on that with The Wall Street Journal."

The Journal and Apple had an iPad-related altercation last month when editor Alan Murray posted to Twitter from the device when Apple co-founder Steve Jobs visited the paper to pitch its e-reader capabilities. That incident reportedly upset Jobs, who was said to be "furious" and allegedly had the editor delete the post. In a subsequent e-mail, Murray would not confirm the incident, but merely said that "Apple's general paranoia about news coverage is truly extraordinary."

The Journal is yet another high-profile publication confirmed for the iPad. At the device's unveiling in January, a New York Times application replicating the daily edition of the paper was prominently featured. And last week, the Associated Press revealed it too is building an app for the iPad based on a subscription model.

How much to charge for content on the iPad and other devices remains a point of contention. While reports have suggested that Times executives cannot agree whether to charge $10 per month or closer to $30 per month, the Journal began charging users of its iPhone application late last year. Murdoch has previously said that News Corp. intends to charge for all of its online news sites, noting that "quality journalism is not cheap."

The executive added Tuesday that he believes the iPad is just the first in a number of devices that many will use to read newspapers on a daily basis. He reportedly said there will be a "half dozen or more" introduced in the next year.

The executive added Tuesday that he believes the iPad is just the first in a number of devices that many will use to read newspapers on a daily basis. He reportedly said there will be a "half dozen or more" introduced in the next year.

While every newpaper along with any other publication for that matter will be able to be read on the iPad , the question still remains: Will they be with or without flash content as were all the blank portions of the NY Times during iPad's unveiling by SJ?

This is going to be interesting with concern to Flash not being available on iPad and majority of sites using Flash as standard at present.

I wonder who is going to 'blink first' Apple or potential clients who use Flash. Believe me this is not simple answer, since Apple have massive presence in the media industry and have shown to be winner with majority of his media focused products (exception is Apple TV, which really just requires some focus by Apple and not just an hobby).

I will see what happens before I purchase an iPad, since specs could change rather quickly depending on the customer interest, potential clients wiliness to accept no Flash approach and pricing of iPad and media content.

While every newpaper along with any other publication for that matter will be able to be read on the iPad , the question still remains: Will they be with or without flash content as were all the blank portions of the NY Times during iPad's unveiling by SJ?

Companies are already proclaiming they are making versions of their media and sites without flash just for the iPhone / iPad, yesterday VIrgin said they are launch their various sites without flash just for that reason, and they have a damn lot of companies and media.

While every newpaper along with any other publication for that matter will be able to be read on the iPad , the question still remains: Will they be with or without flash content as were all the blank portions of the NY Times during iPad's unveiling by SJ?

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Originally Posted by souliisoul

This is going to be interesting with concern to Flash not being available on iPad and majority of sites using Flash as standard at present.

Have you two not seen the mobile version of websites that cater to mobiles? This is no different. You can still have a site with Flash for applicable systems.

Companies are already proclaiming they are making versions of their media and sites without flash just for the iPhone / iPad, yesterday VIrgin said they are launch their various sites without flash just for that reason, and they have a damn lot of companies and media.

While the Virgin isn't some huge defeat for Adobe it's telling of things to come, like frogs crocking before a storm. Most sites that use Flash simply don't need to and there are plenty of web standards easily supported by IE7+ and others that make a page ender faster and be less crash prone. Add the cost savings from having to support Flash when you can use HTML, CSS, and JS, which you already pay for, and a potential saving on data usage.

The first real wave won't likely start until we see video make the move. That means Hulu and others make the switch along with YouTube and Vimeo default to the HTML5 video (with Flash as a fallback) if you are using the appropriate browser, but there are still issues with the JS controls before that can happen.

I hope the prices for news content is inexpensive and no subscription is required (or optional), this way people can try before they buy and get a lot of good content at a reasonable total monthly costs.

For instance I would like to receive the Wall Street Journal as a subscription; try the New York Times on a per day, Sunday only, to see if I like it; some other investment and trade newspapers, perhaps a few trade magazines and so on.

I don't want to go broke doing it neither, and it has to be a nice seamless experience, auto-updating etc like iTunes does.

One good thing about charging less to begin with, especially with something that's really not costing publishers anymore but transferring existing electronic files, is that they can always raise prices later.